A Christmas Conversation
by skye-hunter
Summary: Just a conversation between two...friends? Spoilers for Season 5!


Author's Note: This is based on the prompt of "Winter" by a prompt at a livejournal community; please be aware there are spoilers for Season 5.

* * *

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen." ~ Author unknown, attributed to a 7-year-old named Bobby

***

"So…how did you get that tree in here?" Hotch inquired with a small laugh as he looked at a Christmas tree that was so large the star on top touched the ceiling and the berth of it nearly took a full quarter of the room. He was still in shock at its size…and that it was still intact after coming through the small door of Rossi's upstate cabin. (Of course the fact Rossi had opened his cabin, his sanctuary, to the team members and their loved ones, was a miracle that Hotch had yet to wrap his head around in and of itself.)

Prentiss laughed some, "That was Morgan and Rossi, I just did the decorating mostly."

Hotch nodded some and took a sip of the eggnog, "You did a good job, it looks very nice." It lit the main room with a soft glow in the colors of the rainbow but Prentiss had avoided the trap of tackiness that decorating a Christmas tree could so often hold.

"Well I can't take all the credit," the female agent said with a smile, "the team did help. Most of them anyway, Garcia was holed up in the kitchen making the eggnog while Kevin baked."

"Kevin baked?" Hotch's brow arched some as if he found the statement, and now those delicious gingerbread men he'd had a while ago, suspicious.

"Men…correction, some men, are perfectly capable of baking," Emily pointed out with a smile before sipping her drink.

Hotch laughed a touch, "I can bake."

"Jack told me you almost started a small fire the last time you tried."

"He did, huh? Well kids his age tend to have an overactive imagination." Hotch made a stern face a moment, then looked down and took a drink to hide a guilty smile. He decided to get off the topic of his nonexistent baking skills and onto something he still couldn't say enough. "Thank you, again, for everything."

Emily waved the statement off some, "It was nothing. I mean the whole team was happy to do it for you and Jack, Aaron." She then froze realizing she'd used his first name. Things always got awkward between them when she used his first name. "I, uh…Look, Hotch, you and Jack have been through a lot…we just…wanted to make this Christmas stress-free and one that you'd both remember as a good one."

"As opposed to the first one after my ex-wife, Jack's mother, was murdered?" Hotch stated dully, sadly, before taking a deep swallow of the liquor-infused holiday drink. Prentiss looked down some and took a drink herself unsure what to say. There wasn't anything to say after that, was there? At least none that she could think of. "You did wonderfully, Emily, thank you. And I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"For bringing our wonderful conversation to a dead stop," Hotch said with a small smile. He hadn't intended to but, well, he'd simply blurted out what he was sure everyone was thinking. Best make this Christmas amazing so poor Hotch and little Jack don't think about the loss of the woman who'd once been the rock in both their lives.

"She's on your mind," Emily said softly, unsure if this was the right thing to say, terrified of bringing her colleague and friend pain, "It's okay if you want to talk about her, Hotch." Back to the comfort of formality as she navigated emotional waters.

Hotch smiled some, "No, Emily, that's quite alright." He then shifted on the couch they sat together on to better face her, "I loved Haley with all my heart for years but…but I don't think she'd want me to be stuck mourning her and let the good moments slip by as I do."

"And this is a good moment?"

"Yes, it is," Hotch's lips threatened another smile, "thanks to you."

"Me?" Prentiss's lips did the same.

Hotch let the smile spread over his face, "All of you."

"Oh, right, of course," Prentiss smiled as well, but it was a touch more forced. Foolish to think Hotch would mean her, specifically. Foolish. "We're glad to help. All of us."

It was then that Hotch realized what Emily must've thought he was implying and that he'd, rather carelessly, crushed the thought in one offhanded clarification. He smiled some and set his now empty glass of eggnog down on the coffee table nearby and leaned over to give the woman's cheek a quick kiss. "But you especially. Thank you, Emily." His lips were still close enough for him to only have to whisper the words. Then he got up, "I'm going to check on Jack and head to bed before the eggnog prevents me from walking at all. Merry Christmas, Emily."

"Merry Christmas, Aaron." She replied still stunned by the sudden act of affection Hotch, Aaron, had displayed. Was it just the eggnog or something more?

***

"Now, the essence, the very spirit of Christmas is that we first make believe a thing is so, and lo, it presently turns out to be so" ~ Stephen Leacock


End file.
